Some people adore the height of Summer in June and July when the garden is performing at its peak and it has to be said that it is glorious with the sumptuous excess of roses, delphiniums and phlox flowering in all of their glory but for me September can be even better.
Golden Septembers are not guaranteed
You don’t always get that golden Summer when it’s gloriously hot but when you do I think that it’s special. What do I love so much about September? Well it is a time to be grateful for the gifts that natures bestows upon us. It is a time of picking the last peaches and the first apples and pears, of harvesting the last of the summer crops from the vegetable garden, it is a time of plenty. It’s also the time when the last few roses put on a dazzling display of beauty and I think that I enjoy them so much more because they stand out as beautiful highlights in the garden.
For me it is also the time to take a breath now that things have slowed down a little, I can step back from the manic duties of Summer and see how the garden has developed in those Summer months.
The big surprise of this Summer
The biggest surprise for me this Summer has been the roses, as many of you will know, we planted a new rose garden this year and it has done exceptionally well. I have some varieties that have grown to a height of 6 feet or more, which really is incredible in their first year. Olivia Rose Austin (1st picture above) is a perfect example, David Austin say that this rose generally grows to about 1.25 metres high and yet mine is standing at 6 feet tall, shows no signs of slowing down and is flowering for the 3rd time this year. It has also been extremely healthy and has shown no signs of disease. he David Austin size guidelines are for the UK and in warmer climates they will grow taller and bigger.
Just look at this perfectly formed rose and also see how healthy the leaves are, it has not been sprayed at all.
This rose, Harlow Carr, I planted in a group of 3, as recommended by David Austin, this is a rose that does so much better in the ground than in a pot, it creates a tall, bushy rose with lots of dainty pink roses that are highly perfumed. In my opinion it would be a perfect variety for creating a scented rose hedge, I also like Rusosa “Wild Edric” for this purpose.
This is a climbing rose of great beauty, it is one the best scented climbing roses and repeat flowers all summer.
Living off the garden – is that not the dream?
At the moment we are able to get all that we need to eat from the garden. It is so rewarding picking and eating fresh fruit and vegetables from the garden, I feel like we are living like kings! The pears are absolutely fantastic, sweet and juicy, as are the peaches. We are still harvesting and eating fresh courgettes but we also have enough preserved in jars to last us the winter, along with peas, beans and herbs. So I think that September is a time to be grateful, a time to be thankful that we live somewhere that we can grow fresh fruit and vegetables and grow beautiful flowers. Is there a chance that we will end up taking it all for granted? Never.
When Winter comes
When Winter comes I promise not to moan about how cold it is or about how much snow there is, instead I will remember, as I open up a jar of some preserved goody, how wonderful the Summer was, how kind and how generous the garden and nature have been to us. Does that alone not make this wonderful planet worth saving?
My next post will be showcasing the David Austin roses that will be available in March here at The Moosbach Garden.
We have a small selection of roses for sale at a reduced price (25 euros) a saving of 3,95 Euros. They are all in flower and make an ideal gift for a friend (or yourself)!